Brazil begins Phase-III trails of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine on volunteering health workers

One of the hardest-hit countries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil has started Phase III trials of a Chinese-made vaccine. According to reports, the advanced trials that began on Tuesday, July 21 will have the potential vaccine administered to 900 doctors and health workers who have volunteered for the program which is spread across six Brazilian states.

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Brazil testing Chinese-made vaccine

CoronaVac, a possible COVID-19 vaccine that has been made by Chinese company Sinovac, has advanced the furthest in the trial among all other vaccine contenders from around the world, as per reports.

Sinovac is reported to have partnered up with the Butantan Institute, a Brazilian public health research centre to conduct the trial and if the vaccine proves effective and safe then the Institute will have the right to produce 120 million does as per the deal.

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According to the John Hopkins coronavirus resource centre, Brazil is the second most affected country in the world by the COVID-19 pandemic, just second to the United States. It has recorded 2,118,646 positive virus cases since the pandemic began and has a death toll of 80,120.

Dimas Covas, the head of the Butantan Institute, to an international media outlet that Brazil could become the first country in the world to have a working COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use. 

(Image Credit AP)

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